Odawara
by DoingJeanOnTheSide
Summary: OC used. After a terrible battle, Date Masamune barely survives and his underling can't cope with the pain.


They had just returned. The only three who survived, and two of them hadn't spoken a word. Date Masamune was in need of serious medical attention, while Muramani? Muramani was hurt as well. A scratch here and there, a wound in her shoulder, but that wasn't serious. No, the pain deep beneath her armor was the serious pain. In her chest, the heart that lived their beat desperately and painfully. Every breath felt like it would be her last, having to stand in that room and watch Kojuro take care of Date.

Date. Stabbed and beaten within an inch of his life. He lay there motionlessly, shallow breaths that Muramani couldn't detect. He was alive though, Kojuro reminded her many times. But still her chest ached for her Lord. Her fists clenched in anger, but then they went limp again as the sadness returned. She hadn't spoken a word, and her lips felt as though they were glued together. She was conflicted. Muramani wanted to kill those who had done this to Date, but inside, she knew that was stupid. She'd get herself killed…

That didn't matter, and without a sound, she turned and walked from the room. She held her daggers tight.

"Mur, I need you to—" Kojuro started, only to turn. He was going to ask her to retrieve something, but she wasn't standing by the door like she always was. It was as if her image was just always there, and it took Kojuro a minute to realize she was gone, and the door wide open. Immediately, he shot up.

Muramani ran out the door, and down onto the grass. It was raining, but one would've had to have been blind to not see the tears streaming down her cheeks. She wanted to collapse and cry, but at the same time she wanted to kill those people. Date could be dead! She had no way of knowing. Her Lord, her One-Eyed Dragon could've passed on the battlefield, and she wouldn't know!

Muramani stopped running for a moment and buried her face in her hands, sobbing immensely. They wracked her body, shaking it as the tears escaped to slide down her forearms now. Though, she rubbed her eyes soon after.

"I have to stay strong…" she thought to herself and clenched her fists. But she couldn't do it. She'd reached the gate and started to cry again. Harder this time, and she fell against the gate, sobbing. Within the minute though, she was back on her feet and moving.

By this time Kojuro had dashed out of the room and onto the porch. He watched Muramani stop at the gate and continue to walk on. He could tell something was wrong, and he ran after her. It was pouring rain, and she didn't need to catch a cold.

"Muramani!" he called out. That made her stop. Kojuro never called her that, unless it was urgent. But she had to keep going! Kojuro would only stop her! And she picked up into a run again. Kojuro followed suite, trying to catch the girl before it was too late.

"Wait!" He called again, this time managing to grab her arm before she could run faster. Muramani jerked back and was turned around. She struggled, keeping her face down.

"Let me go! I have to destroy them for what they did to Lord Masamune!" she almost screamed, her sobs were obvious though.

"Mur, listen to yourself! You can't take them alone, you'll be killed! Masamune is fine and will awake soon! What would he do if he'd waken up to find he'd lost you!?" Kojuro was shouting now, his voice deep.

Mur still tried and pull away, "He must be aveng—" she looked up, tears streaming.

"He's not dead yet!" Kojuro returned, interrupting her. "He will not die, but in order for this to happen, he needs both of us."

Mur didn't reply, she only sobbed harder. Date had never listened to her. No one ever listened to little Muramani. To hear that Date needed her? She buried her face in her hands.

"Think, Mur," Kojuro said, bending a little to be eye level with her. "If you go out there and fight, who's going to win? An entire army and the man who did this to Lord Masamune? Or you?"

Mur hiccupped, "Th-they would…" she mumbled out, rubbing her dripping nose.

"You're an excellent fighter. But no match for them. Mur, what would I…what would we do without you here?" he asked.

Mur began to shake again, sobbing even more. She was soaking wet now, and her face stained with red lines from the tears, her cheeks puffy. Kojuro pulled her into him. She was small enough that the embrace shielded her from the rain and kept her warm. Muramani buried her face in Kojuro's chest, the shaking starting to quell, but the tears kept up. Her hands clung to his coat.

"Please, Mur," Kojuro whispered, resting his chin on her head. His hand rubbed her back. She nodded, understanding the unspoken plea. She would stay.

Kojuro kept his arms around her as they made it back to the porch. Once inside the room where Date lay, Kojuro finally let go of the girl. She had stopped crying when she saw Date's eye open, a smile on his face, and a weak hand wave to her.


End file.
